Mumbai NGO wants GST exemption for sanitary pads, moves HC

Mumbai city news: Under the GST regime that rolled out on July 1, sanitary napkins are in the 12% tax category.

After the imposition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on sanitary napkins became a point of contention, a Mumbai-based non-governmental organisation has approached the Bombay high court seeking an exemption.

According to petitioner organisation, Shetty Women Welfare Foundation, the exemption is necessary to make access to basic menstrual hygiene products easier for women. It has filed a public interest litigation on June 29 contending that only 12% women in India can afford sanitary napkins, thus leaving the basic hygiene product out of the reach of 88% women and girls.

The NGO contended steps were necessary to ensure menstrual and reproductive health of women as these are the rights conferred upon them by Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

Advocate Devyani Kulkarni on Wednesday mentioned the PIL for urgent hearing before the division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and justice Nitin Jamdar, and it is likely to come up for hearing on July 24.